


I can’t even remember days without you

by sunshine_kitcat (Dino_nugu_aegi)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Anger Management, Angst with a Happy Ending, But like not bc I didn't watch it, Don't worry, Fluff, Idiots in Love, JUST FLUFF REALLY, Jaemin and Renjun get in a fight I’m sowwy, Love Liu Yangyang you peasants, M/M, Multi, No plot/setting stuff, just a little though, just pro-bending and the bending things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-06-02 12:53:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19441858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dino_nugu_aegi/pseuds/sunshine_kitcat
Summary: “You can’t be serious.” Jeno gapes.“Oh I am hella serious. I’ve never been more serious in my entire life, and I’ve had to deal with your boring ass.” Donghyuck grins. A loud squeal echoes from the living room and Jeno sighs.It’s gonna be a long week.a.k.a Jeno vs The forces of his subconscious.





	I can’t even remember days without you

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the 00 line ficfest prompt for Week one! They've inspired to write again, and honestly, I'm rlly happy lmao. Writer's block overcame itself ayyy~
> 
> The title is from NCT 127's Touch btw, stream it

In hindsight, Jeno should probably have had expected this. Donghyuck had told them over dinner that he was getting them premature Christmas gifts, but Jeno’s found that Donghyuck is not exactly always serious about his gifts. He had half expected a prank, or maybe some stupidly tacky gift to help console them for a loss right at the finals, even though Donghyuck was one of the people who lost. 

But this is another story.

“Hyuck, for the last time, we don’t have space for this!”  
“What do you mean ‘not enough space’? There’s nothing under your bed! Plenty of space right under your nose, and you don’t even use it!”  
Jeno pinches the bridge of his nose and squints. Donghyuck crosses his arms and pouts. Squinting his eyes, the younger looks challengingly at Jeno. The slightly elder sighs and startles Donghyuck by making a flower pot shake.  
“Hey! Stop it with your weird Earth bending thing! I’m being serious here!” Donghyuck huffs.  
“Anyways, I got you snowy owls. They’re like you but fluffier.” The fire bender hops off the bed and pinches Jeno’s cheeks. “You could use some fluffing.”  
Jeno shoves his best friend off and stands up. Donghyuck groans in pain but tackles him down and whips out his phone.  
“I ordered 10 pairs of these, two for each of us. You WILL accept my love.”  
“That’s not how love works.” Jeno wheezes. But he relents and lets Donghyuck wiggle his way into a koala hugging position of sorts. He faintly hears some shouting and arguing in the background, but brushes it off. Probably just Renjun and Yangyang arguing over dinner again. Jaemin can deal with them because Jeno is way too comfortable for that. Burying his nose into Donghyuck’s hair, the Earth bender sighs.  
“You know Injunnie will murder you when he finds out you got him kitty slippers.”  
“I’ve accepted my fate.”

Of course, in typical stubborn Jeno fashion, he refuses the slippers as soon as he hears the box coming in.  
“Jennnn~ Accept my loooovvvveeee~~” Donghyuck whines. Jeno grunts and shoves the younger off of the bed. Donghyuck hits the floor with a thud, and Jeno has half a mind to see if he’s okay, but a grunt and a shout confirm that he’s quite okay. Peeling himself off the floor, Donghyuck glares at his best friend.  
“Desperate times call for desperate measures.” Jeno opens his eyes, confused. Then he feels it.  
“Hyuck!” Jeno wheezes as the air is sucked out of his lungs. Donghyuck, that smartass, had attached himself to Jeno, leaving virtually no space for him to breathe.  
“Can’t— Breathe— Hyuck— ARGH!” Jeno shouts.  
“Then wear the slippers,” Donghyuck whines back, snuggling his nose into Jeno’s shirt. When Jeno doesn’t answer, the younger wrapped his legs around his waist and squeezed harder.  
“I’m not moving until you promise me to wear them.”

“You can’t be serious.” Jeno gapes.  
“Oh, I am hella serious. I’ve never been more serious in my entire life, and I’ve had to deal with your boring ass.” Donghyuck grins. A loud squeal echoes from the living room and Jeno sighs. A few seconds, possibly a few broken plant pots and definitely some overturned furniture, Jeno is greeted by Jaemin and his megawatt smile.  
“Jen!!!” He yells, and Jeno winces at the volume, but the youngest isn’t fazed.  
“The stuff’s here! Come on you lazy bums.” And with that, the water bender flies off, and Jeno sighs.

“Can you let me go?”  
“What’s the magic word?”

“...I’ll wear the fucking slippers.”

“Yay!” Donghyuck grins, burying his face into the elder’s shirt. After being let go, Jeno sits up and stares at the sun-kissed boy on his bed. The harsh afternoon sun shines through his curtains, casting a contrastingly lazy and soft light over the bright boy. He plays with his flames, the tips of it cradling his face. They’ve cuddled and slept in the same bed before, but for some reason, Jeno’s heart thunders inside his chest. Normally, he’d even yell at Donghyuck for threatening his plants with his flames. Renjun yells for them, and Jeno snaps out of his daze. His cheeks dust pink and the earth bender is frustrated. Stupid heart boners and soft feelings. Why does it keep on coming? He’s not in love, and it shouldn’t affect him THIS much, but it happens and Jeno hates it all the time.

(Love, his subconscious tells him, is like that, but Jeno never listen to that silly thing. He can only feel Donghyuck’s soft hair on his neck as they have their weekly movie night, feet clad in fluffy socks that came with the slippers)

-

“Nana? Where are you going?”  
Jaemin freezes. Jeno makes note of his jacket, sneakers, bag and water bending gloves. It’s quite clear where he’s going, but Jeno’s learnt to be crystal clear with his roommates. Everyone’s best interest really.  
“Uhhh...” Jaemin starts, shoulders tending as he tries to form an excuse, “...I’m going for a stroll?” He asks, trying to smile. Jeno laughs.  
“Okay, I’ll get changed and join you in a few.”  
“Wait—“

Jaemin’s defeated face only pulls giggles out of him.

“You don’t have to come y’know. I know you hate breaking the rules.” Jeno looks up from his phone and faces Jaemin. Rolling his eyes, the earth bender pats his best friend on his back.  
“Whether you like it or not, I’m here. As a teammate, as a friend, and as your last brain cell.”  
“Hey!” Jaemin yells. Jeno pushes open the door to the Arena as Jaemin mumbles something about Renjun being a bad influence.  
“Injunnie will kill you if he hears you calling him Satan,” Jeno comments offhandedly. The dark, starless sky covers his eyes, but Jeno sees the other flinch.  
“But he is Satan...” Jaemin whines. Jeno rolls his eyes again and grabs the other’s hand.  
“Are we training or not?”  
“Hyuck’s gonna be mad we went without him. It’s bad teamwork Jen-ah.” Pro-bending is all about teamwork, and Jeno sure as hell doesn’t want to lose again.  
“Fuck him. He burnt my plant.”

Jeno collapses on the ground. Jaemin follows, except he decides to collapse on Jeno.  
“Off! You’re too heavy!” Jeno groans. Jaemin whines, but complies. They catch their breath and Jaemin hands him a water bottle. Jeno accepts it and starts drinking, but Jaemin’s piercing gaze bores into him. Jeno puts the bottle down and squints at the other.  
“What?” He asks. The other shakes his head and looks down.  
“Nothing.”  
Jeno looks at him curiously. The younger has downcast eyes, lacking its normal vibrant and beautiful glow. All the childlike glee that came with Jaemin’s soft edges and angelic gentleness is gone, and the hollow orbs that greet Jeno today breaks him from the inside. The elder scoots in closer and wraps his arms around the water bender.  
“What’s wrong Nana? Tell me~” Jeno teases, although he can’t help the concern that leaks into his voice. Jaemin tries to push him away, and Jeno is glad Lucas dragged him to the gym all those times. He holds on and wills the soft dirt underneath them to trap Jaemin’s feet. He doesn’t know what washes over him. Maybe exhaustion, maybe frustration, but it tugs on Jeno’s heart. He hates seeing Jaemin like this, sad and slightly mad at some unknown thing. Something ugly blooms in his heart, and Jeno wants to strangle whoever made Jaemin like this.

“What the- Jen!”  
“Tell me what’s wrong!” Jeno roars, unexpected fury in his voice. Jaemin flinches and Jeno immediately regrets it.  
“Sorry...” He mumbles. The other male shakes his head. His grip falters and Jeno drops his arms to his side. He curses himself for being insensitive, and Jaemin sniffles once.  
“It’s not you, it’s me. I just— I can’t—“ Jaemin tries, but words don’t come out. Jeno rubs his back soothingly, making a mental note to tell Yangyang later. He always somehow know how to cheer Jaemin up. The dim arena lights casts a light over the younger, in a melancholic way, as if Jaemin just lost something dear to him. Jeno wonders if he did.  
“Let’s go home, ‘kay?” Jeno tries, “I’ll ask Injunnie to cuddle you, you know he’s soft for you.” 

Jaemin bursts into tears.

That was not what was supposed to happen.

“Nana?!” Jeno yelps. Water benders and their sensitivity. They’re great at listening to others, but also at flooding places with their tears. As if on cue, the water surrounding the Pro-bender arena rises.  
“Nana~ it’s okay. Calm down for me please?” Jaemin sniffles, but he tries to bite back sobs. A small hiccup escapes, but Jaemin calms down afterwards. Jeno pulls him into a hug and fluffs his hair. He pulls Jaemin onto his feet and scoops the younger up, ignoring their tiny height difference and similar builds. Jaemin is an angel, and Jeno wants to murder someone for hurting him. Except the situation got complicated.

At least he knows why Renjun stormed home today.

(Anger and protectiveness, his subconscious teases, is natural to those in love. And once again, Jeno ignores it. The only thing Jeno feels his Jaemin’s tears on his sweatshirt, and it stings to watch the sight.)

-

Once again, Jeno comes home to a war zone. Normally, it’s Yangyang or Donghyuck running away after a prank, but they’re usually laughing. Today... well today was fiery hell.

“Jeno! Nana! Help!” Jeno whips his head to the kitchen. Yangyang’s holding a glass of water and points at Donghyuck and Renjun throwing fire at each other. Jeno widens his eyes in alarm and turns to Jaemin.  
“Nana!”  
“God, shut up. I see it.” Water shoots out from Yangyang’s glass and douses the two fighting fire benders. Yangyang quickly trips them and Jeno runs over to catch Renjun as Jaemin catches Donghyuck. Yangyang sighs and looks up. Jeno glares at him and seethes.

“What. The hell. Happened.” Jeno breaths, trying to calm his tone.  
“Hyuckie and his privacy invading ass happened.” Renjun spat. Donghyuck hisses.  
“What do you mean me?! You came home today, rage boiling and wake me up at 3 AM to demand where Jaemin is. Any normal friend would ask what’s wrong.”  
“And? It’s none of your business? Leave me the hell alone.” Renjun struggles, but Jeno holds on tightly. Donghyuck glares at his fellow fire bender and grabs onto Jaemin’s shirt.  
“It IS my business the moment you start screaming at Yangie the same question, and then burning Jeno’s other plant and throwing it at him and screaming! What the fuck happened?”  
“NONE OF YOUR-“

“Injunnie got threatened today. At the grocery store. I saw and fought them off. He got mad and we fought. I—“ Jaemin interrupts. A single tear rolls down his cheek as Renjun widens his eyes.  
“SHUT UP!” Renjun elbows Jeno and storms off. The Earth bender stands in shock and glances over at Yangyang. The youngest had been standing there the entire time, puffy eyes and dried tears on his cheeks. He sighs, whisks a cheesecake slice over from the counter and shoves it into Jeno’s arms.  
“Go. Talk to Junnie. I’ll deal with these two.”

“Injunnie?”  
A glare pierced through Jeno and the only thing he can do is take a deep breath.  
“What.” Renjun growls, but exhaustion probably caught up to him, and it comes out as more of a mewl. Jeno sits across on the younger’s bed, hoping Jaemin won’t mind him pushing his plushies off.  
“I’ve got cake?” Jeno tries. Voice hopeful. Renjun scowls.  
“You can’t expect to solve all my arguments with cheesecake.”  
“I’m not. The cake just helps.” Renjun scoffs.  
“Fine, bring it here.” Jeno smiles and joins Renjun. In the bright room lights, he can spot a new scar on Renjun’s neck. He winces at it, and the elder notices.

“I’m fine.”  
“Okay.”

“...”

“I’m sorry.” Jeno whips his head up. Renjun looks at him in the eye and searches for something. Evidently satisfied(?), he takes a bite of cheesecake and swallows.  
“I’m sorry for getting mad. I just—“ he hiccups, and Jeno instinctively pats his back. The fire bender swats him away and continues.  
“I’m not a paper doll, okay? I can stand up for myself and all that shit. I’m— I’m not a baby, I’m not made of glass and all that so stop trying to—“  
“He was just worried Injun. And so was Hyuckie.” Renjun bites his lip. Then he starts again.  
“I know. And I feel bad for snapping at them. I wanted to say sorry okay? But then Jaemin disappeared and I got annoyed and—“ Another hiccuping fit. Tears are rolling down the elder’s cheeks and the ugly feeling is back. “And I wish I could manage my anger more. I don’t want to snap at you guys. It- It hurts me more than you think. I wish I could just throw all of that away.”  
Jeno’s powerless in this situation, so he does the only thing he can.  
“What are you doing?“ Jeno puts the cheesecake plate down, its intended purpose done, and takes Renjun’s hand in his.  
“I’m letting you apologize. Now stop crying, it’s not a good look on you.”

“...I meant why are you wearing my slippers but sure, thanks I guess.” Jeno looks down. Huh, he must have accidentally put them on when he jumped off the bed.  
“Hyuck bought us all two pairs, you’re fine. Now c’mon, before Hyuck cries too. I don’t need another crying friend.” Renjun smiles, and the butterflies in his stomach flutters. So cute, underneath the anger and resentment he harbours. The rumours were true, the smaller one is, the angrier one is. Raccoons, Donghyuck tells him, is a prime example.  
“You’re ridiculous.” Jeno smiles. It’s like nothing had happened. Like they weren’t just throwing fire and furniture at each other earlier. That’s how they functioned, with almost everything exposed. Raw emotions, problems and charms, all on display. There’s no point to hiding it, and it’s all for the best really. Renjun and his anger management problem. Jeno and his stubborn ignorance. Donghyuck and his self-criticism. Jaemin and his overprotectiveness. Yangyang and his tendencies to dwell on the past. They make it work, because it’s the five of them.  
“You love me.” Jeno teases, and Renjun rolls his eyes.

(Too much, his subconscious whispers, you love him too much. Jeno shuts it out, once again. The only important thing here is that Renjun is laughing, his giggles sounding like tinkling bells in the wind. The fairy in him jumping out and Jeno can only think about how much he loves the fire bender and all of his sides.)

-

After dealing with Renjun’s anger management problems, Donghyuck’s impulse pre-Christmas shopping spree and Jaemin’s training-heavy coping mechanisms, the last thing Jeno needs is more work. Of course, Yangyang is blissfully unaware.

“Laundry day!” The youngest yells with misguided enthusiasm. Jeno groans as the other three simultaneously shout “Not it!”  
“Jen-ah, you’re with me this week!”  
“I’m always with you! Pick someone else.”  
“It’s not our fault you suck at games Jeno!” Jaemin yells over Mario Kart. Jeno throws his controller on the ground as he loses again. Donghyuck tackles Renjun and whines about Renjun being unfairly good at the game and Jaemin joins in the aggressive cuddle pile. Jeno’s heart melts a little and he resigns. Standing up, he makes his way to the door. Yangyang hands him his coat and they head out.  
“You’re whipped.”  
“Shut up.”

“Spill the tea. Tell me everything.” Jeno looks up. Yangyang slams two lattes onto the table and slides into the table. They’re in the cafe next to the laundromat, and Jeno knows he trapped himself here. The earth bender sighs and puts his phone down. So he recounts everything, from Donghyuck to Renjun, and all their qualities he never knew he found endearing. Yangyang, the patient air bender he is, listens with a knowing smirk. Jeno finds it weird, the two contrasting halves that makes up Liu Yangyang, but he’s never been bothered by it. Appreciative, glad, endeared, but never bothered.  
“You’re a stupid, dense and blind idiot who’s I love with his three best friends.” Yangyang concludes after Jeno finishes. Ah, that was more like that normal Yangyang.  
“I’m not dense.” Jeno defends. Yangyang raises an eyebrow and sips his latte.  
“You’re not even denying the main point of the summary?” The air bender questions “What happened to the Lee Jeno who would blush at a hug?” Jeno flushes.  
“Shut up. It’s been a long week.”  
Yangyang grins, apparently satisfied.

They sit in silence, the cafe nearly empty because Yangyang prefers to do laundry without people around, but Jeno’s long learned that it’s for privacy to have certain conversations. It’s scary sometimes, how aware Yangyang is all times. He’s the busiest of all of them, with his job and extra college courses, but his presence hovers over them—reassuringly. Jeno can’t recall the last time they properly hung out like this. The bright cafe lights fall hazy on his bangs, the brown locks resting gently on the younger’s forehead. Jeno loves watching when he air bends. The winds that carries him sweeps him into a dance, a beautiful grace that exists even when he summons hurricanes when he’s mad. Yangyang looks ethereal, angry or not, and Jeno’s always been confused why the air bender has always been single.  
Haven’t found the right one, he says, but Jeno knows it’s not true. Yangyang is sensitive and attentive, yet energetic and fun. If Jeno wasn’t occupied with figuring out his own love life with the other three, he might’ve even asked Yangyang out.  
“You could always date all three. They like each other too, so that’s not a problem. Plus, I can always make you four y’all if the need arises.” Yangyang breaks the silence, knowing smile on his lips. Jeno hums and sips his espresso. Maybe he should ask Donghyuck, Jaemin and Renjun out. He’s gotten this question before, and his mind imagines it all. The four of them, happily living together. Small kisses shared in the mornings, warm showers in the dead of winter, playing video games on the weekend and being in love and loved for the rest of their lives.

Jeno isn’t blind. Or dense. He knows it can happen, and possibly will. But those futures never sat well with him for some reason. 

He found out why today.

Yangyang.

He can’t imagine them functioning without Yangyang. A listener, but not the motherly type. Relatable but firm. Endearing and loving. Perfect.

“I’ll do it.” Jeno speaks without thinking. Not expecting the sudden bout of courage, Yangyang widens his eyes.  
“Wait, what?” The latter gapes. Jeno smiles, eyes curling into a familiar eye smile.  
“I’ll ask them out. ON ONE condition.” Yangyang puts his cup down and scoffs.  
“Of course. What is so important that’s stopping you from being happy?” He retorts. The washing machine beeps right then and Jeno thanks the universe for that timing.  
“Tell you later.”  
“What? No! Come on!”  
“You dragged me out here for laundry in the first place, let’s go do your job.”

A few folded shirts and hoodies later, Jeno decides to be nice. He throws a hoodie at the younger boy and uses the brief moment to wrap him into a hug. They’ve hugged before, but the feeling comes back to gnaw at his heart every time. It just feels so right, so perfect. The five of them were perfect. Jeno sighs into the hug.  
“What the fuck Jeno.”  
“Confess to them with me.”

A heartbeat.

Two

Three…

“I thought you’d never ask.”

(Fucking finally, Jeno’s subconscious sighs, sounding too much like Donghyuck to his liking, but Jeno doesn’t care. He doesn’t care about what it wants to say because all he can feel are Yangyang’s lips on his and it feels too fucking right. A million championships can’t compare to this moment. This moment of pure joy.)

(Fucking finally indeed)

-

“YA JENO-AH! YOU BETTER KNOCK SOME TEETH OUT OR I’M MURDERING YOU!” A voice yells out from the haze. Jeno pries an eye open and groans. His entire body protests as he pulls himself up. In his foggy vision, he can see Yangyang trying to calm Renjun down along the sidelines. A blast of fire hurls towards him, but a pair of strong arms hoist him up and away. Jaemin slides in and walls off the flames with water.  
“Are you okay?” Donghyuck asks mid-fight. Jeno coughs weakly but nods. Filled with renewed determination (and fear of being strangled or worse, denied cuddles), he charges forward and flings three rocky plates at the enemy team. Donghyuck grins next to him and boosts the plates with fire. Jaemin sweeps them up in a wave and Donghyuck’s eyes crackle with electricity. Jeno grabs his waist and throws him as far as he can. Donghyuck boosts himself with his flames and the electricity shocks the entire enemy team. Jeno and Jaemin follow up with a flood-and-landslide combo and pushes the others off. They fly off like rag dolls and Jeno freezes, a huge grin spreading along his face. The crowd cheers and his vision zeroes on Renjun and Yangyang and their proud hollers.

“We did it, Nono. We actually did it.” Jaemin whispers. Donghyuck runs at them and tackles them in a hug as the buzzer sounds.

“TEAM DREAM HAS WON THIS YEAR’S CHAMPIONSHIP EVERYONE! A FINE DAY INDEED FOR THESE NEWBIES!”

Jeno tunes out the rest of the commentary, tears of happiness rolling down his cheeks and he chokes out a sob. Donghyuck starts crying too and Jaemin laughs through his tears. Before he could register it, Jeno pulls one of them (he’s not sure which) into a deep kiss. The crowd goes wild and he hears Donghyuck whine. Jaemin breaks the kiss off and pulls the other into a kiss too, the crowd bursting out.

“YA! STOP IT WITH THE PDA!” Renjun’s voice carries down and Jeno laughs. They’re going to be chased for days for interviews about this, but Jeno can’t care.

His boys are with him and it’s all that matters. They could have lost for all it mattered, but the victory pulls tears out of the earth bender, and his tears dry up fast. They made it. They deserved this.

“If another fucking nosy reporter gets on my ass for fucking scandals and “who are you gonna choose” fucking nonsense, I will fucking incinerate them.” Jeno laughs and ruffles Donghyuck’s hair. Jaemin rolls his eyes and hands Donghyuck his cheesecake slice. Renjun huffs on the side and points his fork at his fellow fire bender.  
“Incinerating people is my job. Stop trying to steal it.”  
“No one’s incinerating anyone, stop it you too.” Jeno sighs.  
“Don’t tell me what to do!”  
“Injunnie, just eat your cheesecake or I’m taking it.”  
“Don’t you dare, Na Jaemin. I will murder you.”  
“Please Injunnie, you’re terrifying, but you love him.”  
“Ya! Don’t underestimate my anger Lee Donghyuck, or you’ll be next!”  
Yangyang giggles and snaps a photo of the four of them, on the verge of an epic smackdown that will probably end up in a cuddle pile. Jeno sighs and pushes himself away from the scene, pulling Yangyang to his side.  
“Please don’t join them.” Yangyang laughs.  
“You’re too naive Jeno-yah, food fights are the most fun.” Jeno groans.

If anyone asks, the only reason they aren’t banned is that the owners, Doyoung and Kun, are too whipped for them.

Maybe Jeno is too.

“I love you guys.” He says aloud that night, when they’re snuggled on Jaemin and Renjun’s pushed-together-beds.  
Jaemin pulls him closer and pecks his lips. “I love you too.”  
Renjun pulls his arms down and reaches up to meet his lips. “Love you too, you idiot.”  
Donghyuck kisses him over Jaemin, ignoring the latter’s groans. “Of course you do. Everyone loves me.”  
Yangyang pushes Donghyuck away and pecks Jeno gently. “I told you so.”

(Love, Jeno’s subconscious calls, is beautiful.)

(For the first time in his life, Jeno agrees.)

(Love is absolutely brilliant)

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy~ Follow/Join the fic fest here: https://twitter.com/00ficfest


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